Addition of Tywone Malone highlights shift in Buckeyes transfer portal philosophy
COLUMBUS — The transfer portal strategy at Ohio State is clearly shifting.
After years of finding positions of need and plugging in major difference-makers, the Buckeyes have now moved to adding depth pieces and potential playmakers at every position they could have used help at.
That includes offensive line (former San Diego State offensive tackle Josh Simmons and former Louisiana-Monroe center Victor Cutler), the secondary (former Syracuse safety Ja’Had Carter, former Ole Miss cornerback Davison Igbinosun and former Notre Dame athlete Lorenzo Styles Jr.) and other positions that could have used a boost.
Former Ole Miss defensive tackle Tywone Malone is just the latest example of that; he chose to commit to Ohio State over other top suitors on Tuesday afternoon.
The days of the Buckeyes being tepid about the transfer portal appear to be over. This version of Ryan Day’s program is aggressive, quick to act and ready to upgrade wherever it can. And that can only mean good things for Ohio State moving forward, especially with the addition of Tywone Malone.
It wasn’t all gains for the Buckeyes in the transfer portal. They did lose four potential future playmakers during the cycle. Two second-year wide receivers, Caleb Burton and Kaleb Brown left the program during the spring window. Both players were in their second year at Ohio State, and it was hard to see either of them finding playing time in the receiver rotation this fall.
Ohio State lost an offensive lineman to the portal, too, as former four-star Ben Christman entered the portal after two years and a third spring at Ohio State. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound player from Revere High School, in Richfield, Ohio, was the No. 8 interior offensive lineman in the 2021 class, but he was also having trouble finding time on the field during the upcoming season.
They also lost reserve kicker Jake Seibert, although he was tracking as the No. 3 kicker on the roster.
But the philosophy is shifting. Ohio State won’t mind losing potential as long as it continues to add immediate help through the transfer portal. It’s clear that the Buckeyes are doing that more and more moving forward, with Tywone Malone being just another example of that.
Lettermen Row’s Spencer Holbrook, Andy Backstrom and Tim May are back for another breakdown, this time about the Buckeyes addition of Tywone Malone from the transfer portal to close out the portal recruiting cycle. The crew breaks it all down in the latest Lettermen Row video presented by Byers Auto! Watch here or on the Lettermen Row Youtube channel, and make sure to subscribe to that channel for more Buckeyes breakdown videos.
